It's been an extremely long time since I last updated... Real life engagements got in the way, sadly. :(
Chapter 15: Eternal Memories
To Layton it seemed fitting that the rendezvous point for the airships was in the middle of Regent's Park, since it was at London Zoo that the whole adventure had started. The great airships docked in one of the large open spaces, and, as promised, Dimitri immediately surrendered, on the condition that he was allowed to explain things over a cup of tea... and that was how they all found themselves outside one of the park's many cafes. Bill, Future Luke, Future Flora and Emmy sat at one picnic bench, while Claire, Clive, Layton, Luke and Flora sat altogether at another. Dimitri stood just in front of the benches, as if about to give a speech. With his arms folded, and standing slightly behind them all, Don Paolo leaned against a majestic tree that cast shade over the two benches, Baldrick perched comfortably in its lower branches.
It was turning out to be a beautiful day. Now that the strange clouds had disappeared, the sun had seen it as safe to emerge from its hiding place, and was now shining in its full glory, casting the cheerful sheen of spring's light across the greenery and flowers of the large park. Their area of park had been completely cordoned off, of course, with Layton still playing the part of Prime Minister. There was quite a bit of interest from various passers-by, but they were too far off to influence anything that would take place. Well, Layton thought, soon those people would be free; and soon he would return to his own timeline and none of this would matter any more. But there was something Dimitri wanted to do first.
"I don't know how to tell you this," Dimitri began.
Future Luke's eyes were hard and cold. "Maybe you should start by telling everyone how you took their minds from them."
Dimitri flinched a little, briefly averting his eyes; but he quickly bounced back, seeming resolute in continuing on with what he was about to say. "No, that's... not what I want to talk about at all."
"Perhaps I should break the news to Luke," said Layton gently. "The information might be better coming from me..."
Dimitri nodded, and Layton took Future Luke to one side, talking quietly in his ear. After a few moments, Future Luke's eyes widened in surprise, and then in horror. He looked deeply in Layton's eyes for confirmation, and Layton nodded sadly. "I'm afraid it's true, my boy."
Future Luke stormed towards Dimitri, ignoring Layton's cries.
"You bastard!"
The punch was fierce and sharp, and knocked Dimitri to the ground. There were a few cries and a messy mass of people scrambling as everyone stood up; Future Luke ignored this and pulled Dimitri upwards with a rough jerk on his jacket. Dimitri offered no resistance, merely waiting for the next blow - but Layton held Luke back, grabbing onto both arms from behind and forcing the younger man to turn around and face him.
"Luke! Stop this at once!"
Future Luke's cheeks were red and his eyes blazed with a wild, primitive anger, but Layton did not back down. "You will not pursue the path of vengeance. I will not allow it."
Future Luke did not break his gaze either. The air was frightfully tense, like a rubber band stretched to its limit, as everyone waited to see what Future Luke would do next.
"Would someone mind explaining what the hell's going on?" said Bill, breaking the awkward silence.
Finally, Future Luke's anger seemed to dissipate, and he turned his eyes to the ground. "You're... right, Professor," he whispered. "I'm sorry. That was not how a gentleman should behave..."
Layton softened his expression. It was clear that, despite everything Future Luke had been through, and despite his estranged relationship with Future Layton, he still held a great deal of respect for him. Layton honestly couldn't fathom how that respect had survived all these years. Somehow, a tiny nugget of faith had remained. It wasn't very logical, but it was so very Luke.
He nodded at Future Luke, and then he turned briefly to Dimitri.
"Are you all right?"
Dimitri rubbed his face gingerly. "I deserve a lot more than that," he said.
"Whatever else you may have done, you were not responsible for my alternate self's death."
Future Flora choked in her tea. "W-what?"
Dimitri sighed a little. "I'll... bring the robot. I thought it might make things easier."
He summoned one of the smaller, one-person air-blimps using his remote control, and it landed a short way behind them. Future Layton was inside - but he had his eyes shut, and his head was leaning against the seat, as if he was sleeping peacefully.
Dimitri reached inside the blimp, opening a compartment in the Layton-robot's chest.
"W-what's this all about, Dimitri?" said Bill.
Now Dimitri took out a large cog, holding it up for all to see. "For the past eleven years, this robot has been posing as Hershel Layton. The real Layton died in a fight against Descole eleven years ago. Descole collected his memories and personality and placed them inside the robot facsimile - who then took plans for a human mind control device to me... and you all know the rest."
Don Paolo whistled.
"Good Lord," said Bill. "So... he was a robot all along... That explains a lot."
Somehow Emmy looked even more angry than Future Luke had been. Her fists were balled up tight, and shaking, and her arms, her legs - her entire stance - were taut and tense, a hurricane of vengeance just waiting to be released.
"Descole," she growled. "Where is he? Where is he so that I can jolly well beat the crap out of him?"
"He... didn't survive," said Layton, grimacing. "The Time-error's structure was breaking down, and he was sucked inside the collapsing wormhole..."
This didn't seem to have much effect on Emmy's emotional state, if only because it looked like she needed something to beat up; and Dimitri had already taken a whack to the face from Luke.
Slowly, as if in some kind of trance, Future Flora stepped forwards, bending down to examine the robot inside the blimp. She probably knew more than most how a robot could be built to look exactly like a human.
Layton wanted to comfort her, but due to her cold reaction towards him the day before he felt uncomfortable doing so. And Emmy was wrapped up in her own emotions, far too angry at the moment to lend any support. Luckily Claire took up the mantle in their place; she took Flora to another nearby tree, presumably to lend an ear and a shoulder to cry on.
Future Luke was staring blankly at the robot. "He's dead... He's... The professor's... dead... How could I have not known that this robot was posing as him for all that time? The signs were all there..."
"Luke," said Layton. Despite his own mixed feelings towards the Layton robot, he had to be there for this Luke, too. "You mustn't blame yourself."
"But eleven years, Professor! I should have known it wasn't really him!"
"Luke! Get a hold of yourself."
"Professor... I do appreciate everything you've done. But it's not the same. You're not my Professor Layton."
"What are you talking about?" said Baldrick, interrupting suddenly, his translator working to allow everyone present to understand what he was saying. "Even if he is from another timeline, he's still exactly the same person you knew all those years ago, before everything went wrong. What you have is something most creatures can only dream about: a second chance. You should use it, boss. I certainly would."
Layton gave Future Luke a warm smile, the very same one he would always give to the younger Luke whenever the boy was afraid or had felt he was lost or alone. "Luke. Listen to me... You've grown so much. I'm very proud of you - and I don't say that frivolously. I mean it. And... I know that if my alternate counterpart were alive today, he would say exactly the same thing." He paused for a moment, to let Future Luke chew on those words. "Baldrick is right. I may not be your Layton, but... I am one Layton, at least, and I am here for you."
Uncontrolled and unbidden, Future Luke's eyes watered. He hesitated, and then decided to go with his instinct. He hugged his old mentor. "Thank you," he whispered in his ear.
"Any time, my boy."
Future Luke moved away, with a sad smile coming across his features. "I... will try my best for as long as it takes. To be an upstanding gentleman, that is. To honour the memory."
This, Layton felt, was hitting a bit close to home... The only reason Layton always insisted on being a gentleman, was, in fact, because Claire had insisted upon it, before she had died... but... it was okay to show a little bit of emotion from time to time. It really was. He could see that now. Otherwise, how were other people to know how much you cared?
"It's okay to grieve, Luke."
"Yes, well... this is a bit of an odd situation... you're dead, and yet you're standing right in front in me. It's - I'm just a little confused, I suppose. I don't know whether to be sad or not."
Layton had to stop himself from glancing at Claire. "I completely understand, my boy."
"Professor..." Now, this was from his own Luke, who was looking troubled.
"Oh, dear. Not you as well, Luke."
"But..."
He bent down and placed a comforting hand on the boy's shoulder. He remembered Luke's own words. To have faith.
"You believe in me, don't you, Professor?"
That was what Luke had said during their first trip to Infinity, the memory that apparently wouldn't surface unless it really needed to. And the memory was needed. Because, even if Layton did go mad, he knew beyond certainty that Luke would do whatever he could to help - or to stop - him. You only had to look at Future Luke to know this.
"You... believe in me, don't you, Luke?"
Luke's indignant response was almost automatic. "Of course I do!"
"Well, then, there you have it. We shall be fine."
Luke's face instantly brightened, some of his old chirpiness returning. "Right as always, Professor!"
"Same old Professor," Emmy said, finally breaking out of her thunderous mood and letting a smile shine through. "I'm glad you're alive in the other timeline, at least. That settles it: we need to fix the timeline back."
"But..." said Luke, casting a glance at the small aircraft. "What do we do with the robot-Layton?"
"Dismantle him?" said Clive.
"No!" said Flora. "Just because he's a robot, doesn't make him any less human. His memories are still his."
"I agree," said Dimitri quietly. "Regardless of his madness, that would be akin to killing him, and I am not prepared to let anyone else die due to my own blind selfishness."
"But... he's already dead," said Layton, in an odd, sort of constricted voice. Future Layton had indeed been Schrodinger's cat: both alive and yet dead at the same time. What a horrible existence. "I... if it were me, I would prefer to be... laid to rest."
"That robot is a mockery of everything the professor stood for," said Future Luke quietly.
"I have a better idea," said Bill. "Why don't we do nothing to the crazy robot, and instead just send Clive back to his proper time? If we turn off the power supply to Dimitri's time machine at the same time Clive is sent back, it should restore -"
"No!" said Clive, very interested now that the conversation was about him. "I'm not going back! I refuse!"
"Why not?" said Dimitri.
"You said I destroy London! That's why not!"
"Oh, yes, so I did," said Dimitri thoughtfully. "I really shouldn't have told you that." He rubbed the bridge of his nose. "That was an error on my part. But Clive, listen to me. If you don't go back they'll all disappear into non-existence when I turn all the power to my time machine off. Is that what you want?"
"That's... that's not fair, how can I make that kind of choice? Kill my friends or destroy London? I mean - do I completely lose my mind like the professor robot did? Why would I attack my own hometown?"
"I can't reveal that information," said Dimitri. "It may affect the timeline."
"But..." He turned to face Flora. It seemed to Layton that they had shared many moments of comradery while walking about London's streets, because he seemed to turn to her for solace every time he needed encouragement. "What if I hurt Flora?"
She made an odd, thoughtful face. "I don't think you would..."
"But how do you know that?"
"Ah, actually..." Claire walked over to the group, a puffy-eyed Future Flora behind her. "Hershel and I stop you, Clive. I came from that time before coming here. London's okay."
"You... stop me?" said Clive, peering up at Layton shyly.
"I suppose I do," said Layton.
"With a pocket watch," Claire added.
Clive stared at Claire for all of five seconds. "That's crazy."
"I dunno, that sounds like regular adventure fare to me," said Flora. "We've had flying cars, mobsters, time travel, a talking crow, invisibility and a Chinese dragon! A pocket watch sounds... normal in comparison, really."
"What about your parents?" said Dimitri. Claire frowned a little - and Layton knew why, it was the same explosion that had killed them all - but fortunately Clive didn't notice. "They are still back in your time, waiting for you to return to them."
That seemed to help Clive make his mind up. "Okay... But you'd better come and stop me in ten years' time, Professor! It'll be... just like how you stopped your other self, right? You out-smarted him, didn't you?"
"I will do my very best to make sure you do not destroy London," said Layton.
"Promise?"
Layton smiled. "I promise."
Don Paolo snorted from his corner. "That's the spirit. Not that it'll make any difference."
"W-why not?" said Clive, who was looking more and more miserable by the minute.
"Didn't it occur to you that if we put the timeline back on its proper course, none of this will have ever happened?"
Suddenly, Flora looked at Future Luke. "So this timeline won't exist any more... and all the people here... will just fade away?"
"That doesn't sound fair either..." said Clive, frowning. "Is that what the robot professor was talking about when he was saying that stuff about the 'pivotal moment'?"
"That's correct," said Dimitri.
"But-" Flora started, looking at Future Luke for confirmation.
"I knew," Future Luke said. "We all did. I'm sorry we kept the information from all of you; I was afraid you wouldn't help us if you knew. But now that we've reached that point... I didn't think it would be so damned hard."
"Regardless, it was important that you have this conversation. I remember everything," said Time, flittering down to the ground.
"And just how long have you been sitting there, Mr Smarty-Pants?" said Don Paolo.
"Long enough. The timeline must be restored. Dimitri must cut the power to his time machine, so that I may send Clive to his proper place in the timeline."
"But that's not fair at all," said Luke. "What's the point of all this if we're just going to forget everything that happened?"
"I will remember," said Time.
"But-"
"I will remember," said Time. "But for now, the proper course must be taken."
It took a moment for Layton to fully process the true meaning behind this, but he did feel he was getting better at decrypting Time's words. Did that mean there was a way to save this timeline after all?
"Dimitri may be the key to preserving this timeline, just as you were the key to preserving yours," said Time, and for once, Layton didn't mind the mind-reading. All of this hadn't been in vain.
"But I cannot guarantee success."
Future Luke cast a sharp glance towards Dimitri. "Is this true?"
Dimitri shrugged, seemingly too worn-out to be surprised. "Damned if I know what Time's talking about. Frankly, I'm past caring."
"...You should say your goodbyes," said Time.
Future Luke stared at Dimitri for a moment, but when the latter looked away, and walked to sit on one of the benches, he turned his attention to Layton. "Thank you for all you've done," he said.
"You're very welcome," said Layton. "I only hope Time is able to keep this timeline going somehow."
"Wouldn't that beat all...?" said Future Luke, his gaze turning thoughtful. "I hadn't even thought about life beyond this moment. We were all so geared up towards beating Layton - I mean, the robot... I've been rebel commander for so long, I'm not sure I know how to be anything else."
Emmy folded her arms, her face now showing a full-blown smirk. "I knew you wouldn't let us down, Professor! And don't worry, Luke. I'm sure there's room for us in this new world we're about to build. There's still the clean-up operation, after all. It'll take time to get rid of all those Com Links."
"I should apologise..." said Future Flora, her eyes downcast. "All along, it was never even you that did all those horrible things and yet I blamed you for them."
"Nonsense," said Layton. "Your reaction was completely understandable, given the circumstances. I do hope that if we do meet again, it will be for a rather more joyous reason."
The goodbyes continued; both Dimitri and Bill expressed relief that this was all coming to an end. The latter was happy to be finally free of worrying about his "Layton nightmare", while the former had a world weariness about him that Layton could only suppose was the weight of the things he'd done finally sinking in.
Flora ran up to hug Future Luke, who returned the embrace, and Layton smiled at the sight. They both looked very much like an older brother hugging a younger sister. Meanwhile Emmy bent down and whispered something in Luke's ear, which prompted a giant hug from Luke.
Flora ran to give Clive a hug as well, though due to her being a bit too keen, he was a little less enthused.
"Gordon Bennett, Flora," he said. "I can't breathe!"
"Sorry," she said, letting go, "it's just I'm going to miss everybody... There won't be time to say goodbye after this, will there?"
Clive looked sheepishly at the ground, and then back up at Flora. "Um... well, thanks, Flora. I really enjoyed our company together."
"I'm sure we'll meet again," she said.
"Yeah, we probably will..."
"Don't worry, okay? It'll be fine, you'll see. Trust me."
"Thanks... for trying to cheer me up," he said. "I'm not sure it'll be as easy as you say... But thanks for trying, I really appreciate it."
"Of course!" she said, fists eagerly flying through the air. "Just because we're not going to remember each other, doesn't mean we're not friends now."
"Yeah, that's right!" Luke chimed in, having finishing shaking hands with his future self. "I just know the professor will think of something. He always does! Maybe we'll even convince you to stop before you get to do anything!"
"If you say so," said Clive.
"Don't worry," Claire added. "Everyone deserves a second chance. You'll get yours, Clive, I promise."
Now Clive looked confused, and he tilted his head, pulling off his hat. "Uh… okay then," he said.
"All right, all right, enough with the sappy stuff already!" said Don Paolo, who had elected to remain separate from the proceedings. "Are you going to turn off your time machine or what?"
"Whenever Time is ready," said Dimitri.
"It is time," said Time. In a flash of light, he, Dimitri and Clive vanished.
Layton and Claire sat under an oak tree, a little way away from the benches.
"This is it," said Claire, leaning her head against his shoulder. "I wish things could go differently..."
"I do as well," Layton replied. "But I do understand now. Dimitri is right. If Clive is willing to go back to a future he does not want, than I must be willing too."
They both sat in silence for a while, simply enjoying each other's company, letting the breeze run over their hair and the smell of grass enter their nostrils. A sudden thought occurred to Layton, though, and he sat upright.
"What's wrong?" said Claire.
"There is one thing I wanted to ask, while I have the chance," said Layton.
"What is it?"
He paused, feeling butterflies in his stomach, and as nervous as he'd been when he'd first asked her to be his girlfriend, though he hadn't shown it back then.
"Er... well... Do you... remember the day you gave me my hat?"
"Talk about asking a ridiculous question, Hershel. That was the day I died!"
Despite her words, she was in a good humour, her eyes bright and warm in a way that made him tingle with delight.
"We had lunch together that day," he said. "There was something I wanted to tell you."
"I remember."
"I..." He stopped abruptly, as though someone had stuffed a giant apple in his mouth.
He tried again.
"I was..."
He failed again.
"What is it?" she asked. "It isn't like you to be this nervous."
Layton cast his eyes down, looking at the grass, where a yellow butterfly had chosen to land on a flower. He shut his eyes and let his mouth take over, since his brain had apparently ceased functioning.
He muttered, "I was going to give you a ring... I was going to ask you to..."
Claire put a hand over her mouth as realisation dawned. "Hershel..."
"To marry me. Would you have said yes?"
"I..." Now Claire choked on her words.
"I perfectly understand if you cannot answer," said Layton quickly, "but it was always something that weighed heavily on my mind after you... passed away."
"Hershel. Yes." She placed a hand on his cheek and forced him to look at her in the eyes. "I would have said 'Yes'."
He smiled, and moved in closer, kissing her deeply. It was a soft, tender moment, one that Layton wished would never end. But it couldn't last. Time, of course, had other ideas.
Dimitri stared at his time machine, with enough rage festering inside to kick the damned thing to pieces, despite feeling more physically and emotionally drained than he'd ever felt in his life. Twenty years. Twenty years' work, obliterated in a single day. He'd wasted his life on this pointlessness. How foolish he had been, to think that he could control Time! Time had brought Claire here, but not because of anything he had done. No, it had been to help Hershel...
What a waste of time.
"It was not a waste of time," said Time.
"Huh?" said Dimitri, looking up to see Time sitting on top of the main module that powered the time machine. "What are you doing here? I left you upstairs with Clive."
"I cannot teleport Clive to the past until you turn off the machine."
"But you can teleport Claire from the past, and all the way from another timeline, apparently."
"...I had some help," Time admitted.
"Oh?" said Dimitri, who was still very angry with Time after what had happened in the canteen on board the Antares. "And why would the great, all-powerful Time need help?"
"The strength of Layton's memories by itself wasn't enough, but it was combined with the power of Infinity, which was leaking into this world. That was how Claire was brought here."
"Oh," said Dimitri again, this time deflating. If that was truly the case...
"In case you have forgotten, you yourself destroyed the link to Infinity. So I cannot even send Claire back right now either. Not until you turn off the machine."
"Shut up," Dimitri growled. "I don't need you to tell me how badly I screwed up! Look at this," he said, gesturing to his large machine. "Look at this! I spent years on this-this idiotic piece of junk. And then you come along and do exactly what I spent twenty years trying to accomplish in the space of a minute! Do you think that's fair?"
"What I think does not matter. What matters is that the proper timeline is restored. But... no, I do not think it is fair. And if you would look past your anger for a moment, you would realise that you were the one who opened the hole to Infinity. You were the one who made Claire's appearance possible, even if it is only temporary. Is that not enough?"
"No," said Dimitri quietly. "It isn't. Besides, Descole opened the hole. That Time-error was his doing." He took away my discovery from me, Dimitri realised, though he couldn't find the strength to be angry at this, given Descole's fate.
"But he used your work. You laid the foundations. You established the link. That is why I am here talking to you now. What you possess is far greater than anything I have."
"Leave me alone," said Dimitri. "I don't want your pity."
"Are you not going to turn the time machine off, then?" said Time, changing tack.
"Of course I am! If you go away and let me get on with it, I'll get round to it. Clive shouldn't be left alone for too long, he might get cold feet."
"I cannot leave you just yet," said Time. "I have felt your emotions from afar. There is something I need you to understand."
"What do you want from me? Haven't you caused me enough misery for one day?"
"Listen to me. You have learned from this experience, have you not?"
Dimitri rubbed his eyes wearily. "I agree with Hershel, your reading of minds is rather irritating."
"The past twenty years," Time persisted. He flew down and landed beside the main keyboard controller, on a desk in front of where Dimitri was currently standing. "What have you learned?"
"That I shouldn't try to mess with time... with you. That life is... pointless."
"You have learned much more than that. And life most certainly is not pointless. The knowledge you have obtained while studying Infinity will serve you well."
"It will?" said Dimitri, only half paying attention now. He needed sleep so very, very much. "How so?"
"Because I will remember. And so will you."
I will remember... what, exactly?
A sudden thought occurred to him, and he turned his head to face Time. "What did you mean when you said I had the key to preserving the timeline?"
"If I tell you, there is a chance it might not work."
"That's a load of bull," said Dimitri. "You're just stalling for -" He paused, wishing that so many English expressions didn't include the word time. "You know what, I don't even care any more. Just tell me one thing: can Claire be saved if you do whatever you're planning?"
"Turn off the time machine and you will find out."
Dimitri couldn't stop himself. He smashed a fist down hard on the control panel right next to Time, becoming even more furious when Time didn't flinch. "Goddammit! Stop evading my questions! If you really want to help me, tell me the goddamned answers!"
"But I was not stalling, nor was I evading. The path to the future is not open to me. It will not open until the true timeline is restored. That is why I do not know if changing anything will work... But, if I have learned anything from watching you humans, it is that it is important to try. It does not matter that you failed. Your efforts to save Claire were not pointless, because I am memories; if I remember then so do you. And vice versa."
"If... I remember," Dimitri muttered to himself. He sat down at the console chair, shaking his head. "What a waste of time," he said softly.
He turned off the time machine.